Review Centre: 1950s Era Musicians & Bands

"Hi Micki Thank you so much for last night and helping us on our special day. The guests all loved you, thank you ever so much. Gregg and Ruth"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Absolutely fabulous evening with the 19Sixties - everyone who came to our works dinner & dance loved this band (all ages from 18-80). Really amazing musicians (no backing tracks - real music!) On a personal note - extremely friendly people to deal with and very good communications. Also very flexible on timings - as the hotel we held our function at was very slow on the food service which delayed us getting onto the dancefloor, but the band were very patient waiting in the sidelines. From the minute they started playing the dance floor was packed and it stayed that way for the rest of the evening. Overall a brilliant evening of entertainment and we would most definitely recommend this band and we are so happy that we picked them. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"“The men gave us an unforgettable jazzy afternoon - Clear approach regarding the orchestra setup, repertoire, costs, and point of contact - Musicians are of North Sea Jazz level, but unlike there, they really know how to capture the party atmosphere - Success guaranteed”"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you for singing for us at The Woolpack yesterday afternoon! We all enjoyed your performance and the selection of music was really lovely! My friends especially loved it, they came down especially for the jazz music! We would love to have you appear again at some time for us."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Brass Monkees played at our Summer Party on Saturday after coming highly recommended to us and they certainly didn't disappoint! The band were full of energy and the dance floor was buzzing all evening. We've had so many great comments from everyone, they really helped to make the party a big success. A great combination of songs and a really great touch coming out into the crowd, standing on chairs to play their instruments, fabulous!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"“We thoroughly enjoyed a stylish and musically high-level jazz performance. For our 50th anniversary, we were looking for an elegant jazz band, and this all-round Jazz Quartet exceeded our expectations. The communication beforehand was smooth and clear, which immediately gave us a reassuring feeling in the run-up to our event. On the day itself, the band members arrived well ahead of time at the Atomium—professional and well prepared. Their performance, in their classy dress code, was atmospheric and musically of a very high standard, striking exactly the right tone for this festive occasion. The music added an extra touch of class to the evening and was greatly appreciated by all our guests. In short: reliable, professional, and above all musically excellent. Highly recommended for anyone looking for quality live jazz!”"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I found Baló Sámuel Trió when I was searching for a nice jazz band for my wedding. I instantly contacted them after the first YouTube video I saw - my partner and I loved their music and vibe, and in addition they responded to our request very quickly. Despite the wedding getting postponed due to Covid they were flexible and made sure to accommodate our dates with their availability. A very kind and talented young group. I would definitely work with them again and I highly recommend them for your next event! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS! AND SUCH A NICE GUY WE'LL DEFINITELY HAVING HIM BACK AGAIN! Great show Tony mate and very nice meeting you top man. Michael Esgate"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"5 stars – everyone had a great evening, thank you for playing for our event!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"It was a real pleasure to meet you and your band members. You stole the show with a magnificent performance, superb! From all at LHG, behind the scenes we thank you also. We will be in touch with regards to a further potential event later. Thank you again!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"So many guests commented on your beautiful voice and singing! You were amazing and we all enjoyed it so so much. Thank you again!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

" I am proud that the Rick Holland - Evan Dobbins Little Big Band calls Tala Vera cantina home once a month. Rick is a consummate professional as well as a top tier musician. His Band comprises the best players Rochester has to offer. Such talent coupled with an amazing book of swing and traditional jazz, presents a special evening of music every time they play at Tala Vera. Bernard Matthews, Owner of Tala Vera, Rochester, NY I have had the pleasure to do some arranging and writing for Rick's groups and I have to say that his groups are always chocked full of the best musicians around. It's a pleasure to have music played with precision and integrity - no matter what the style or genre. I would highly recommend any or Rick's groups for a jazz or commercial setting. Jim Martin, Grand Rapids, MI We had the pleasure of having the USO-10 piece play at our wedding in May 2017. From the minute we met Rick Holland and heard the band play we knew they were the band for us. It was a pleasure to work with Rick, who was so professional and helpful in many ways especially song choices from everything to cocktail music, our entrance song, first dance, parent dances to our exit song. The dance floor was never empty. We are thrilled with the USO and look forward to hearing them again in the near future!! Thank you for making our wedding so special! Maureen and Mark Deckman Sometimes it all just falls into place. The setting, the situation, the scene, the tone -- everything is going your way. That describes last night for me. And at the heart of this mid-week Xanadu was the Rick Holland Uptown Orchestra, a modest, brass-centric outfit led by the trumpet-blowing Holland that swung with equal parts effervescence and laid-back cool at Lovin Cup. And come to find out, five of his Hollands regular guys were sidelined, and the holes on the bandstand were plugged with subs --- hired music muscle like Po’ Boy Erik Jacobs on the slide trombone. By the time the Orchestra heaped on a helping of Count Basie, there was nowhere else I wanted to be. I dragged my mom out in the cold for this show and she was thrilled when they stomped on the Savoy. Holland led the affair with a relaxed air, coaxing more than conducting under his porkpie lid. He went around the bandstand numerous times so every cat there got his fair shake, including pianist extraordinaire Bill Dobbins. This is one sweet band, yes, yes. Frank De Blase, Roch City News With all the hype going to Wynton Marsalis, you might not guess that there are other, lesser-known, straight-ahead trumpet players out there who are consistently ripping the hide off the ball. This, Rick Holland's auspicious debut, is an impressive effort. The trumpeter leads his quartet, backed by a solid Michigan-based rhythm section: pianist Terry Lower, bassist Ed Fedewwa, and drummer Larry Ochiltree, through a fiery trail of originals and standards, interspersed with some fine balladry. Holland's sensitive ear translates to some tight arrangements and a well-organized program. On flugelhorn, he boasts a rich, full tone that purrs with warmth. On the faster tunes, he steams. This is the kind of jazz that feels just right on a wintry day, with the fireplace in full throttle, and the feet resting on a cushion: it hits the spot perfectly, drenched with emotional power and skillful fortitude. Steve Loewy, All Music Guide You get the feeling from Holland’s recordings, that Holland and his compatriots are not only talented musicians, but fully formed human beings with wit, style and elegance---folks whom you would enjoy sharing a fine dinner and stimulating conversation. Bill Barton, Green Mountain Jazz Messenger "Rick brought his quartet and the little big band to our wedding and reception. He was wonderful to work with, being both receptive to our requests and knowing where to fill in the gaps with his expertise. Not to mention I could call him anytime, and he worked around our schedule. They played a tasteful mix of songs great for just listening to and a few that got everyone up on the dance floor. In the end, everyone was raving about how great the band was. We couldn't be happier!" P.S. Lindsey was amazing, the two comments I heard most were "Wow, they are great!" and "That girl can sing!" Sam and Ellie Carrell I hired Rick Holland Productions for my wedding and I thank my lucky stars I did. They were just an absolute solid band. I live in Toronto so the 10 piece band crossed the border for my wedding - our wedding coordinator said she'd never heard a band that good over her decade long career. I like to think I'm a genius for finding them ?? Kian K., Toronto, ON, CA From the bride: "The music was wonderful! We could not have asked for a better band. Our guests were really impressed; the Uptown Society Orchestra really made our reception special.” From the groom: "What a professional group. Their exceptional musicianship brought a real element of class to the party. There is nothing like the sound of a live band, and this group made our reception better than we could have hoped for.” From the father of the bride: (Dennis Nowicki): "The band was fantastic -- they really exceeded our expectations." Anders Dahlberg and Stacy Nowicki, Wedding at the Chicago Art Museum The Uptown Society Orchestra may have had six members, but it sounded as if it had twice as many as members blew triumphantly throughout New Years' eve night. (Front page Kalamazoo Gazette, regarding the New Years Eve Festival 2004, Kalamazoo, Michigan) Bill Wood, Arts and Entertainment critic, Kalamazoo Gazette Amazing! Rick Holland Productions worked seamlessly with our wedding, where we had three separate "performances" that were adpated to by Rick's use of different members of the Little Big Band. We had a cocktail reception where a trio played, then a brass quartet accompanied our Wedding ceremony. After our guests were transported by horse-drawn carriage to a lake side reception site, the Little Little Big Band got things started and the full Little Big Band played the night away to the extreme pleasure of our entire party. They even let Joe Robinson jam with them in the chill of the autumn, fire-lit evening! Thank You so much Rick! Matthew Cooper, Bradford, PA Rick brought his quartet and the little big band to our wedding and reception. He was wonderful to work with, being both receptive to our requests and knowing where to fill in the gaps with his expertise. Not to mention I could call him anytime, and he worked around our schedule. They played a tasteful mix of songs great for just listening to and a few that got everyone up on the dance floor. In the end, everyone was raving about how great the band was. Lindsey Holland was amazing, the two comments I heard most were "Wow, they are great!" and "That girl can sing!"We couldn't be happier! Sam and Ellie Carrell When we heard the Uptown Society perform at a New Year's Eve concert we knew that we wanted them to play at our wedding. They had the perfect blend of jazz, swing and romantic ballads. They are excellent musicians and we were thrilled to find that they were available for our wedding. Our guests were thrilled that we hired them; we received so many compliments. Uptown Society provided a wonderful 'soundtrack' for our storybook wedding. Eric and Kim von Oeyen, Battle Creek, MI Rick Holland and his band played our wedding on August 28, 2010. Rick could not have been more accommodating to my husband and my wants and needs for music at the wedding. We communicated through email, over the phone, and met with each other once to go over the details. Rick was very thorough and always set our minds at ease. During our ceremony, his quartet played us up the aisle with a romantic song and down the aisle with ''Fireworks'' which set the mood for the festive evening to begin. The cocktail hour began immediately following the ceremony and Rick''s band did not miss a beat....the little big band entertained guests while they mingled and got a bite to eat. When the wedding party was ready to be announced, Rick took the microphone as we were all introduced. After the speeches were out of the way, Rick and the band let loose! With a full band and two singers, a male and a female, we partied for the next four hours! The guests were dancing, singing, and truly having a great time as did we! The band definitely made the night! The songs were exactly what we requested and the sound quality was superb. I would gladly book Rick and his band for another occasion as well as recommend them. Thanks again Rick! Erin and Mike Victor, New York"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We can't say enough great things about Greg/Elvis. He arrived on time and went above and beyond what we expected all evening long. He is a great looking Elvis and during spontaneous bits of singing, etc., has Elvis down to a T! Greg mingled with the crowd, was just great when posing for pictures, even helped hand out name tags when guests started arriving! The guests loved him, as did all of us hosting the party! He's the real deal! Viva Las Vegas!!! Tricia Ansley Sarnoff Court Reporters "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We hired Jack to play at our private event, we specifically asked for 60’s and 70’s and he didn’t disappoint, he played all the songs that the group love. Strongly recommend and will be hiring again for our next event."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Hired the band to play at a small outdoor BBQ and fair. Very professional from the get go and they give it their all. I received many compliments about the band all afternoon ! Lovely music !"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: